Japanese karters dominate Pagcor races

Updated April 1, 2009 - 12:00am

Japanese drivers Tsubasa Takahashi (center) and Daiki Sasaki (left) pulled off a 1-2 finish, respectively, for the Kuwayama team, beating third placer John Alvarez.

CARMONA , Philippines – Japanese karters took the limelight from their Filipino rivals as they swept all the titles recently in the second leg of the 2009 Pagcor Sports KF2-KF3 Series at the Carmona Circuit Philippines.

Tsubasa Takahashi and Kyohei Yamashita split honors in the KF2 division while Ukyo Sasahara pulled a sweep in the KF3 class of this event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) and sponsored by Pagcor Sports and Palmer Asia Inc. – The Fire and Security Expert.

Local drivers really learned a thing or two from the solid teamwork and driving skills of the Japanese Kuwayama drivers who, at their young age, gained a lot of experience touring the globe to compete in international karting events.

Malaysian Senna Sulaiman Noor managed to squeeze in but it was John Alvarez of Maranello-San Miguel Corporation-Marcelo Racing who broke the Japanese 1-2-3 chain when he barged into third place behind Sasaki and Takahashi.

But the frontrunning Japanese drivers switched places as Sasaki gave the lead to the 14-year-old Takahashi and put up a great defense that prevented Alvarez from moving further up.

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Takahashi controlled the tempo from thereon and claimed the checkered flag in 14 minutes and 19.037 seconds or a far 3.209 seconds ahead of Sasaki who checked in after 14:22.246.

Alvarez took third place 10 seconds behind with 14:29.598 while 17-year-old Yamashita and Malaysian Senna Noor wound up fourth and fifth, respectively. The Japanese did the same strategy in Round 4 with Takahashi, Yamashita and Koki Hoshino taking the early lead.